


Rhododendrons and Roses

by battle_goats



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, M/M, Sheith Secret Santa 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-03-02 15:33:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13321197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/battle_goats/pseuds/battle_goats
Summary: Magic is returning to the earth, and Shiro finds himself studying the subject through Keith, a witch who was a supposed descendant of Merlin himself.





	Rhododendrons and Roses

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Sheith Secret Santa for fckafluff on tumblr. I'm so sorry this is so late! I absolutely adored the prompts I was given, but they were also incredibly intimidating and challenging. I hope you like it.

Magic was returning to the earth. Slowly but surely, it was reclaiming what had been stolen by ash and smoke. Shiro had been fascinated by it for most of his life, and now had an opportunity to study someone who could channel and manipulate it. He was excited enough that he’d arrived at their neutral meeting place a whole half hour early.

A small family diner located in a less busy, slightly older part of town. Most of the patrons were at least 40 years older than he was, and had likely been occupying their tables since opening.

For lack of something to do, Shiro had ordered a coffee and a slice of pie, just so he didn’t feel like he’s was just squatting at the table. The pie was long gone and he was on his third refill of coffee. Shiro was just glancing at the time on his phone when the door swung open. He glanced up with the bell rang and a young man stepped in. His hair was dark, long, and messy. He was whipcord thin, and his eyes were sharp. And he was looking right at Shiro.

Oh, that was an intense look, Shiro thought. The man was approaching with long steps that were nearly silent on the scrubbed linoleum floor. Shiro rose to greet the man.

“Dr. Shirogane?” he asked. Shiro held out a hand to shake. The handshake was firm, and he felt a number of callouses on the pads and palm of the man’s hand.

“Please, call me Shiro. And I presume you’re Keith.”

“Yes, that’s right.” They sat down and descended into silence. Shiro reached for his briefcase to grab his notebook and a pencil, silently cursing his lack of preparedness. It didn’t help that Keith had such a heavy stare. It was like a weight had been settled on his shoulders. Shiro fumbled with his pencil and nearly dropped it as he flipped the notebook open to a blank page.

“Okay, so, Keith. Tell me a little about yourself. My case notes only said that you’re a descendant of Merlin himself,” Shiro said. He scribbled the date down hastily as Keith was served a cup of coffee from one of the waitresses. He gave her a smile in thanks, and it was such a small thing that Shiro found his breath momentarily stolen. He shifted in his seat and resolutely did his best to stamp out that little bit of clenching pressure in his chest and regain his air of professionalism.

Keith began making his coffee to his taste, and he spoke in a voice that was a bit soft, though confident.

“I’m sure you can tell why most people don’t believe my claim, by my appearance alone. Merlin is of course European, and outwardly I am not,” he said. Shiro had certainly noted Keith’s obvious East Asian features in the case file he’d been given, which had included a basic photo of Keith.

“My mother was Japanese, and my father was a mix of French, English and probably something else. He wasn’t too sure on what, but it was probably German, given his roots. My descendancy is of course from his side. Magic has resided in his family for generations. Dating back so far that the records run out. There is a gap thanks to a few witch burnings, but at least one of my ancestors had the brains to hide their magic.”

Shiro jotted all of this down, he didn’t want to miss a word. Keith paused to sip his coffee, which was now almost a quarter cream and sugar.

“But of one thing there was never any dispute, Merlin is one of my ancestors. All the myths and legends say he never had children.” Keith paused and looked straight into Shiro’s eyes. “But those are all just myth.”

Shiro had to blink and shake himself out of the stupor he had somehow fallen into. He wasn’t sure if it was Keith’s voice, or his words, or just the way he spoke, but he felt like he’d fallen under a spell. His pencil stopped as he contemplated it.

“No.”

His head snapped up and he looked at Keith, who was smirking at him.

“And I can’t read your mind either. But I’m not stupid. No, I wasn’t putting you under a spell. To cast a spell in such a subtle way isn’t my style.”

“Oh? What is your style then?” Shiro asked.

“I like big, flashy, in your face. It’s a lot more fun that way.”

That smirk was making Shiro’s insides squirm. And he liked it. Oh boy. Keith finished his coffee and set the money on the table.

“Well, Shiro, it was a pleasure, but I have places to be now. Same time again on Friday?”

They both stood and shook hands again.

“I am aware that Dr. Iverson mentioned us cohabitating for this study of yours, but I would prefer this for at least a few weeks.”

“That’s no problem with me, I completely understand. We’re strangers, I’m a stranger, and you wouldn’t want to share a space with just anyone.”

“I’m glad we’re on the same page,” Keith said. He paused and appeared to be thinking something while he studied Shiro carefully. Whatever he’d been considering, he’d clearly made a decision because he nodded and turned to go. “I’ll see you around, Shiro.”

Shiro watched Keith breeze out of the diner with nothing more than a swish of his coat. He flopped back into the booth and downed the last of his coffee. He paid for his coffee and pie and walked out in a daze.

“Takashi, you’re fucked if you don’t keep this professional,” he mumbled to himself. Shiro drove back to the university campus where he conducted his research.

 

They met twice a week for the next three weeks at that same diner. Sometimes they ordered meals and talked as they ate. Sometimes they simply had coffee, and Shiro had a piece of the Pie of the Day.

“Shiro, can I ask you a question?” Keith asked. He had just demolished a large stack of pancakes after eating his way through a plate of eggs, bacon, sausage and home fries. Shiro was frankly, impressed.

“Sure,” Shiro said. He had ordered the heart healthy special. Egg whites, whole grain toast, and oatmeal sweetened with honey.

“How do you feel about cats?” Keith asked. That wasn’t at all what he had been expecting as a question. Shiro shrugged.

“I’ve never had a cat for a pet myself, but I don’t mind them, and I’m not allergic,” he said. Keith tapped away at his phone and then slid the device over to Shiro’s side of the table.

“This is Red. She’s picky as hell, if she doesn’t like you, cohabitating for your study will not be an option,” Keith said. “On Thursday, I’d like to take you to meet her, if that’s okay.”

“That’s fine.” Shiro passed the phone back. “I didn’t take you for the spoiled pet parent type.”

Keith smiled as he ran a fingertip over the rim of his coffee mug. He looked up at Shiro through the veil of his hair, his eyes were electric as they pinned Shiro into stillness.

“There’s quite a bit that you’ve yet to learn about me,” he purred. Shiro fought down the shiver that ran down his spine. That voice held potential and promises he didn’t dare think about. Nonetheless, Shiro leaned forward and gave Keith a smile.

“I’d very much like to learn,” he said. Silence stretched between them, but there was nothing awkward about it. Keith was a gorgeous young man, and everything about him was a test of Shiro’s patience. He knew he had to be professional, stay professional. But he just wanted to know everything about Keith. About the man, and his magic.

The moment was broken by Shiro’s phone ringing. He glanced at the contact name and sighed.

“Sorry, it’s Dr. Iverson, I should take this,” he said. Nothing like a call from his boss to remind him what he was actually meeting Keith for. The conversation was brief and to the point. If they didn’t move to the next stage of the study, it would be axed. He hung up and sighed.

“Something wrong?” Keith asked.

“He says that if we don’t move on to the next stage of the study, then he’s cutting it off,” Shiro said.

“Oh, I see. Well, then, would you care to meet Red today?” Keith asked. He reached for his wallet and before Shiro could say a word, paid for both of their meals.

“Sure, I don’t have anything planned after our usual meeting,” Shiro said. They left the diner and Shiro headed for his car. Keith followed behind him.

“I, uh, I take the bus to get here,” he said. He seemed embarrassed to admit it, but Shiro just smiled and motioned for him to get into the passenger seat. Keith directed them further from downtown, towards the older residential area of the city.

They pulled up to an older looking house that had seen better days. The lawn had seen better days, overrun by a massive rose bush that had crawled its way up nearly the entire front of the two story building. What had to be the largest rhododendron shrub Shiro had ever seen in his life had taken over the entire yard, casting deep shadows over yellowed grass.

“I know it looks really bad, but I don’t have much of a green thumb. Or patience. I’m pretty sure there’s some magic in the rose bush, it’ll flower even in December,” Keith said.

“I like it,” Shiro said. Keith’s cheeks turned a little red and he turned away to lead Shiro up the walk and into the house. There was no doorknob, only a circle of markings where the knob would be. Keith waved his hand over it, and the markings lit up. The sound of a locking mechanism moving could be heard, and the door creaked open.

This was the first bit of magic Shiro had seen so far since he’d first met Keith. Though they were few in number, magicians were not permitted to use magic outside the privacy of their own property without a license. Keith pushed the door open and they stepped inside.

Shiro wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but a regular entry way was not it. The walls looked like they’d been painted somewhat recently, and the hardwood flooring was freshly waxed. He followed Keith’s example in removing his shoes at the door, a ritual he was long used to. As they stepped further down the hall, there was a noise and suddenly there was something rubbing up against Shiro’s shins. He looked down to see Keith’s cat, Red, insistently threading between his legs and meowing.

“Wow, the only person she gets like that with, is me,” Keith said. Red abandoned Shiro’s legs and immediately hopped up into Keith’s arms. “It’s safe to say she likes you.”

“That’s good to know,” Shiro said. He reached out to Red, who gave his fingertips a sniff, and then a lick.

Keith led them to the sitting room, where he offered Shiro a seat on an old sofa that very nearly swallowed him up. Shiro fought the couch cushions to sit up, but was distracted when Keith began to laugh at him.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve never seen such a look on your face. You were so surprised,” he said. His smile lit up his whole face, and Shiro really hoped he had the opportunity to make Keith laugh like that again. It was arresting.

Shiro managed to right himself on the couch, where he was soon joined by Red who demanded his attention.

“So, does this mean we’re going through with this?” he asked. Keith nodded. “Come back on Monday with whatever you’ll need to bring with you. This study is supposed to last another four months, correct?”

“Yeah, four months of cohabitation, and I basically follow you around and take notes. You’re going to have a really big shadow for a while.”

“Oh, I certainly don’t mind that.”

There it was again, the flirtatious tone in Keith’s voice. He had to be doing it on purpose, but Shiro just wasn’t sure completely sure about it. His lips quirked up into a smile and all he could think was the mantra his mother had drilled into his head as a child, patience yields focus.

 

Three week into the study and Shiro was absolutely certain that Keith was trying to kill him. Keith was flirting constantly. It was almost non-stop, even when Shiro was studying the magic Keith performed.

He had apparently grown up using very little. His mother had died when he was young, and his father disappeared in his early teens. While incidences of magic did crop up from time to time, Shiro had learned that Keith had quickly hidden what he could do while in the foster care system.

Most people did not take kindly to such differences, as was the case with most anything that made a person “other.” Keith had done anything he could to stay under the radar until he reached his majority. At which point his father conveniently reappeared in his life. If only briefly to leave the family home to him, and teach him more about his heritage. In Keith's words, as Shiro listened to the recording, he'd “fucked off to only God knows where.”

Shiro typed up his weekly report, the glow of his laptop casting dark shadows over his face. It was late and he'd chosen to stay up late because attempting to write his reports during the day usually resulted in Red resting on his keyboard and making work impossible.

“Shiro? What are you doing up?” Keith asked from the doorway. Shiro had left it ajar so Red could come and go as she pleased.

“Just finishing up my report before I head to bed,” Shiro said. He glanced at his notes and finished his paragraph. He flipped his notebook closed and was surprised by Keith's weight leaning against his shoulder.

“How are things going?” he asked. He looked a little bleary eyed, but focused on Shiro. Shiro smiled.

“Quite well. My subject is intelligent, engaging, and not at all hard on the eyes,” Shiro said. Keith blinked at him for a long moment.

“A-are you flirting with me?” he asked. Shiro swiveled in his chair ot face Keith.

“Have been for the last few weeks, thanks for noticing,” he said. Keith let out a quiet laugh.

“Oh thank god it's not just me. I was starting to think you weren't noticing,” Keith said. Shiro reached out and placed his hands on Keith's hips and pulled him closer.

“Trust me, I definitely noticed.” He pulled Keith forward until he was climbing into Shiro's lap.

“Pretty sure interacting with the subject like this will affect your study,” Keith said. His hands rested on Shiro's shoulders as he looked up at him.

“What Iverson doesn't know won't hurt him,” Shiro said. They came closer together until their foreheads touched.

“I like the sound of that.”

Finally their lips met in a kiss that felt like a breath of fresh air. Both of them having been waiting and wanting, and everything about the kiss made them want it to go on forever. One of Shiro's hands ran up his back to tangle in his hair. The motion caused Keith to moan and he pressed closer to Shiro until their chests were pressed together.

When they pulled away, it was with great reluctance. They were quiet for a moment, unsure of what to say. Keith looked like he was about to say something, but Shiro leaned in for another kiss. He pulled away to trail kisses up and down Keith's neck before he finally rose from the desk chair and carried Keith to his bed.

They laid together, their legs tankled as they kissed and slowly stripped each other of their clothes. Shiro paused for a moment to take in Keith's flushed cheeks and kiss bruised lips.

“Do you want this?” he asked. Keith nodded.

“Yes,” he breathed. And so they became further tangled together, long into the night.

 

The remaining days of the study passed them by, and Shiro kept up his work during the day, and at night the pair fell into each other's arms. Learning of each other in ways that were not fit for academia. And at the end, Shiro found himself unwilling to leave. What had started out as curiosity and a superficial attraction to Keith had morphed into something deeper. He wanted to stay, but only if it's what Keith wanted as well. After all, Shiro was the one who had been imposing on him this whole time.

It was the last night, and Keith had cooked them dinner. But Shiro wasn't much hungry, when all he could think about was the fact that he would be leaving the next day. The meal was taken in silence, and when it was done, Keith set the dishes to wash themselves.

“Come to bed with me Shiro,” he said. Shiro went with him, and he held Keith close and tight, as if he would face away if he let go.

“I don't think I want to leave,” Shiro finally said, just as sleep claimed him. He felt Keith shift in his arms.

“Then stay.”

 

Shiro was present his work in front of the the whole department. Dr. Iverson sat at the very front of the meeting room, his arms crossed. He already looked unimpressed. Shiro cleared his throat and his eyes found the very back of the room where Keith was seated. He wore tight skinny jeans and a basic black t-shirt. He looked unnecessarily hot surrounded by all the old, stuffy academics in the room. The two of them were easily the youngest people in the room.

Keith gave him a smile, and a thumb's up, and Shiro felt the tension in his shoulders melt away. The feeling was so sudden that his eyes flicked to Keith's other hand. Sure enough, his fingers danced and glowed a soft red with spell work. Using magic on another person without their consent was highly illegal, but right now, about to present his findings to twenty old men and women, Shiro did not care in the slightest.

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here, and I hope that you find my findings to be instructional and illuminating,” Shiro began. Once he begna to speak, he calmed further and found himself ready to deal with these people.

Plus, knowing that he'd get to leave with Keith and have his way with him later was certainly an excellent motivator.

 


End file.
